The Grammy-winning singer opens up about turning private struggles into shared healing while reflecting on her latest album ‘Virgin’.
Lorde is getting real about what pop music means to her — and how personal struggles nearly pulled her away from it.
The 28-year-old singer, best known for hits like “Royals” and “Green Light,” recently told Dazed that she views her work as more than just making catchy songs. For her, pop music is about connection. “I don’t really see it as being about me, although it is very personal,” she explained. “That’s why I find pop music so incredible, because it’s about the collective.”
Lorde said she thinks of her role as helping fans process the “big, deep pains” of life, much like the character in The Giver who carries the community’s emotions. “I think it’s my job to get as close to these big, deep pains that we all feel as I can bear, and try and alchemize them into something that is beautiful and gives catharsis,” she shared.
But behind the scenes, Lorde admits she’s faced her own battles. At the beginning of 2023, she was at a breaking point and even thought about quitting music. Speaking to BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, she revealed she felt completely “disconnected” from her creativity. A major reason, she confessed, was her struggle with an eating disorder.
“All I was thinking about was trying to weigh as little as possible,” Lorde said. “Going to sleep thinking about food, waking up thinking about food and exercise — that was my creative pursuit.”
The Grammy winner said those challenges clouded her artistry, but eventually she fought her way back. This year, she released her fourth studio album, Virgin, which she described as her most daring yet. “It was hard, it was scary,” she admitted. “Some songs aren’t easy. I made a lot of changes and really put my artistry front and center.”
For Lorde, the experience reminded her that music is both deeply personal and profoundly communal. “Pop music is about the collective,” she repeated — and through her songs, she hopes to turn private struggles into shared healing.
